krueger



1,607,531 T. H KRUEGER ENVELOPE -Filed Sept. 29. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Il/E/VTOR 9 mamas Nov. 23,1926. 1,607,631

T. H. KRUEGER EEEEEE PE Patented Nov. 23, 1926.

UNH'FEE STATES THEODORE H. KRUEGER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ENVELOPE.

Application filed September 29, 1921. Serial No. 504,234.

This invention relates to envelopes and is particularly concerned with envelopes which are provided with a clasp or other attachment whereby the same may be closed without being sealed. Such envelopes are in common use, being adapted for a variety of purposes, particularly for the transmission of mail matter other than first class.

A cardinal feature of the present invention is to provide an envelope in which the clasp or closure device differs from the wellknown types ordinarily employed in that it is formed of the material of the envelope and is integral therewith, being formed of parts of the envelope itself.

In the preferred form of embodiment of the invention, the parts of the envelope out of which the closure device is formed, are re-enforced by patches of sheet material.

B0 The envelopes so constructed, owing to the fact that they consist entirely of paper or other sheet material, are capable of being stamped out and produced by automatic machinery at extremely low cost. Owing to 2'5 the fact that the parts of the closure device are integral with the envelope,.they lie fiat whether the envelope is open or closed. Ordinary handling of the envelope, therefore, is not liable to bring about the opening of the closure.

Another feature of the invention consists in the provision of a tongue which extends substantially parallel to the crease of the flap, this tongue being formed of the body of the envelope, preferably re-enforced, and co-operating with slits formed in the flap and in the body portion of the envelope, and extending at right angles to the crease. By virtue of this construction, the tendency of L0 the slits to tear at their edges is reduced to a minimum and. a high security of closure is effected.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method whereby the said envelopes may be manufactured at low cost, with minimum wastage of stock and with the smallest number of operations.

A good understanding of the invention may now be had from the following descrip:

30 tion thereof, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

. Figure 1 is a view showing one form of envelope embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a view showing the envelope of Figure 1 in closed position;

Figure 3 is a section of Figure 2, taken on line III-III, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing a preferable form of embodiment of the invention;

Figure 5 is a view showing a section on line V-V of the envelope of Figure 4, when the same is closed;

Figure 6 is a view showing a modification of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a view showing a section on line VII-VII of the envelope of Figure 6, when the same is closed;

Figure 8 is a view showing one form of envelope blank embodying this invention;

Figure 9 is a view showing a finished envelope made up of the blank shown in Figure 8; and

Figure 10 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a preferable manner of manufacturing the blank of Figure 8.

Similar characters of reference designate similar parts in each of the several views.

In Figure 1 of the drawing is illustrated an envelope E, shown partly broken away, and provided with a flap F adapted to be folded along line 2, as illustrated in Figure 2, to form a closure for the envelope. To secure the flap in closed position, there is provided a tongue 3 substantially parallel to crease 2 and formed of the material of the envelope proper by a out along line 4. For co-operating with tongue 3 the flap is provided with slits 6 and 7 and the envelope with a slit 8. The tongue is scored crosswise on lines 5 and 5* so as to permit the same to be folded along these lines preliminary to its insertions into the slits, the positions of the slits being such that when the tongue is bent along line 5, it may be passed through slit 6 in the flap, after the same has been folded to its closed position, the tip of the tongue being thereupon bent along line 5* and passed through the slits 7 and 8, as illustrated in Figure 3. The flap is thus securely locked in its closed position, the appearance of the closed envelope being asillustrated in Figure 2.

The envelope may readily be opened by merely withdrawing the tongue from slits 7 and 8 and thereupon lifting the flap, thus automatically causing the withdrawal of the tongue from the slit 6.

It will be observed that thetongue eX- tends parallel to the crease of the flap and that the slits are substantially parallel in lt ll the direction of the strain between the envelope body and the flap. No crosswise pull, therefore, is exerted on the slits and the tendency to tear is thus reduced to a minimum. A high security of closure is thus etl'ected.

The tongue is preferably provided with the inclined portion 9 in order that the opening produced in the n'iaterial ot' the envelope by the cutting away of the tongue will be fully covered when the flap is closed, and also for the purpose of permitting an easy insertion of the tongue into slit 6, thus avoiding the tendency to tear along crease 5 which would otherwise exist.

In Figure 4 I have illustrated a preterable form of embodiment of the invention, differing from the construction above described in the provision of patches 10 and ll of re entorcing material such a. cardboard or the like, these patches being placed, respectively, on the flap and on the upper end of the back of the envelope. By virtue of these re-entorcing patches, the invention is rendered applicable to the ordinary envelopes composed of material havinginsutficient body and rigidity to produce satisfactory results. The patches oi re entorcing material have the effect not only of strengtl ening the material at the point at which it is weakest and at which it is subjected to the greatest strain, but of providing a certain amount of stiflncs's in the flap, and in the portion of the envelope overlappei'l thereby, whereby the flap, when locked, is caused to lie flatly against the envelope. An effective and secure seal is thus formed, which will not open unless the tongue is intentionally withdrawn. This effect is produced particularly it the re-entorcing patch 10 of the flap extends up to the crease 2. so that the entire length of the flap is slifleneil and prevented from buckling during the m'dinary handling of the envelope.

In Figures 6 and. 7 is disclosed a modification of Figures L and 5, this i'noditication consisting in the omission of the slot 8 so that the tip of the tongue will not be extended into the interior of the envelope as in the previous forms, but. will be passed into the space between the flap and the envelope, as indicated in Figure 7.

The preferred manner in which the above described envelopes with re-en't'orced tastenin' elements may be inanutactin'ed, will now e described, reference being had first. to Figure 8, which shows a completed envelope blank ready for folding and forming. the finished product illustrated in Fig ure 9. The blank shown in Figure 8 consists of the wide portion 40 and the narrow portion 4:1, which constitute, respectively, the face and back of the finished envelope, these portions being folded one over the other along the line 36, as indicated in Figure 9. The edge portions 32 otthe face are provided for the purpose of being tolded along lines 37 so as to overlap the back 41 to which they are subsequently secured by suitable adhesive material.

The patches 10 and 11 0t re-entorcing material, it will be observed, are affixed to the same side of the blank of Figure 8, but at opposite ends thereof. By virtue of this they occupy the proper positions when the blunt: folded into envelope form, the finished product having the same parts as described in connection with Figure 4.

The preferable manner of manufacturing the al'iove-described r'e-ent'orced blanks will now be described with reference to Figure 10. As shown in part a of Figure 10, the process begins with the application of patches 25 0t re-entorcing material to a strip of paper 26 which may be fed by suit able mechanisn'i off a roll ot' the paper stock. The width of strip Qi is equal to the maximum width of the finished envelope blank, and the distance between the si'iccessive patches is equal to the maximum length of the blank. The patches may be applied to the strip in any suitable manner, preterably by shaping the patches "from material gummed on one side, moistei'iin'g the same and thereupon pressing them into firm engagemei'it with the. strip 26.

The strip with the patches applied thereto is then ted into'a mechanism which severs the strip transversely through each patch, along line 28, the shape of this out being such as to outline the flap 29. Other cuts 27 are made to outline the upper end of the back ot the envelope. The portion Q8 of cut 28, it will be observed, extends beyond cuts 27. The tip of the flap is thus formed ot material which would normally lac employed tor the upper end ot the baclr out the envelope, thus leaving a corresponding recess 28" therein. The advantage this teatnre is the reduction ot the total leugtl'i oi the envelope blank. and the correspondlug saving in stocli'.

The back 41 ot the envelope is formed by cutting away part of the stock along lines 33 and 34, this cut being made preferably simultaneously with 27 and 28. Thus, by the operation indicated at 7) of Figure 10, there is shaped. out the back side 0t one envelope blank and thetiap end of another. Thelatter envelope blank is thus completed, the remaining portion 0 thereof having been shaped out by the previous operation.

It will be observed that the cut 27 is so made that patch 10 extends to the end oi the flap, as indicated by line 30, this being desirable for reasons hereinabove set forth.

The tongue 3and: the slits 6, 7 and 8 are punched out of the re-enforced portions of the envelope blank, referably simultaneously with the aboveescribed operation of Inn shaping the blank, but if desired, may precede the same or occur subsequently thereto.

It will be observed that the above-described method of manufacture may be performed entirely by automatic machinery with a min imum wastage of stock. The application of the patches is effected in a rapid and economical manner and each single patch is utilized for the formation of two separate reenforcing patches. This method thus combines rapidity of production with economy of material, thus rendering it possible to manufacture the envelopes at very low cost.

Although only certain specific forms of embodiment of the invention and manner of practicing the same are described herein, it will be readily understood that many changes andmodifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it being my intention to claim the same broadly in whatever form its principles may be employed.

\Vhat I claim is 1. In combination, an envelope having a flap, a tongue out from the portion of the body of said envelope which will be covered by the flap when the envelope is closed, said flap being provided with a plurality of slits so positioned that said tongue may be passed through said slits successively to secure said flap.

2. In combination, an envelope having a flap, a tongue out from the body portion of said envelope and extending parallel to the fold of the flap, said flap being provided with a plurality of slits extending transversely of said fold and through which said tongue may be passed successively to secure said flap.

3. In combination, an envelope having a flap, a tongue out from the body portion of said envelope, said flap being provided with slits substantially parallel to the direction of the strain between the body and flap portions of the envelope and arranged to cooperate with said tongue to secure said flap, the arrangement being such that the strain is substantially at right angles to the direction in which the tongue would have to be pulled to withdraw it from the slits.

4. In combination, an envelope having a flap at one end thereof, a tongue cut from the body of said envelope substantially par allel to the fold of said flap, said flap being provided with a plurality of slits substantially at right angles to said fold and so positioned that said tongue may be passed through said slits successively to secure said flap, said envelope body being provided with a slit registering with a slit of the flap so as to receive said tongue, after it has been passed through both slits of the flap, the arrangement being such that the slit in the body portion can be located in proximity to the second slit in the flap to facilitate the insertion of the tongue, by pressing against the side edges of the envelope to bulge the body portion out.

5. In combination, an envelope having a flap, patches of reinforcing material associated with said envelope and said flap, the said reinforced portion of the flap being provided with a slot arranged at an angle to the fold of the flap, and a tongue out from the reinforcing material and from the portion of the envelope reinforced thereby, the said tongue being elongated in a direction substantially at right angles to the direction of the slot and lying within the body of the envelope, the tongue being adapted to cooperate with said slot to secure said flap in closed position.

6. In combination, an envelope having a flap, re-enforcing material associated with said flap and reinforcing material associated with the portion of the envelope engaged by said flap, a tongue out from said re-enforcing material and from the portion of the envelope re-enforced thereby, said re-enforced flap being provided with slits through which said tongue may be passed successively, and said re-enforced portion of the envelope being provided with a slit for receiving the tip of said tongue when the same has been passed through said slits in the flap.

7. In combination, an envelope having a flap, reinforcing patches on the inside of said envelope and flap, a tongue cut from the reinforced portion of the body of said envelope which will be covered by the flap when the envelope is closed, said flap being provided with a plurality of slots so positioned that said tongue may be passed through said slots successively to secure said flap.

In testimony whereof I have aiiixed my signature to this specification.

THEODORE H. KRUEGER. 

